It's easy to get swept up with major Hollywood stars this time of year, gazing at the red carpet and thinking of these celebs as superhuman megastars, but even the biggest names around got their starts in less glamorous ways. Before their Oscars and Emmys, these stars had Pop Tarts and Lisa Frank.
1. Ben Affleck
Dig those smooth moves and that hip phone! The two-time Oscar winner starred in this Burger King commercial before becoming the megastar we know today from films like Good Will Hunting and Gone Girl. His next role may be playing Batman, but now we'll always think of him as this bad boy who breaks the rules.
2. Brad Pitt
It may be crazy to see a superstar like Brad Pitt shelling for potato chips, but if you think about it, not much has really changed for the Oscar-winning Fight Club star since this Pringles commercial: he still looks good enough to make our mouths water.
3. Jennifer Lawrence
Since starring in this commercial for MTV's Super Sweet 16, Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence has taught those boys how to properly carry her around on her throne, where this Oscar-winning actress belongs.
4. Stanley Tucci
We've always loved The Devil Wears Prada's Stanley Tucci, but seeing him young and hunky in this Levi's commercial made us love him even more.
5. Steve Carell
Steve Carell may have received his first Oscar nomination for his dramatic role in Foxcatcher, but this commercial shows that he's at his best when he's being funny and lovable.
6. Leonardo DiCaprio
We're like 97% sure we'd take our pants off immediately if Leo came up to us now and told us to "keep it poppin" or to "save some for Daddy." The 5-time Academy Award nominee is underrated even when it comes to his commercials.
7. Haley Joel Osment
We're just gonna throw this out there: The Sixth Sense could have been a much better movie if they'd stuck to the original line, "I see snack dragons." Just saying. Also, not even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle would eat a pizza that looks that gross, Kraft.
8. Naomi Watts
Young Naomi Watts, the two-time Academy Award nominee you know from films like Birdman and Mulholland Drive, was once a teenager with a thick Australian accent. Like most of us, the near-perfect actress worried about her skin, her figure, and "that one" problem we don't talk about.
9. Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone
"You sound like a commercial." "You buyin' it?" This is the greatest moment of either of their careers. Just kidding, Sharon Stone has gone on to many other performances that are just as good, if not better.
10. Mila Kunis
So, we guess we can thank Mila Kunis for helping make Lisa Frank such a thing in the 90s. It's hard to believe that the star was only two years away from her breakout role on That '70s Show.
11. Elijah Wood:
We've always had a lot of love for Elijah Wood's facial expressions. From Lord of the Rings to Wilfred, his face is sometimes the only thing that makes his performances entertaining. This commercial might just be his shining moment.
12. Kristen Stewart
We love how sassy Kristen Stewart is in this Porsche commercial -- that head nod and "duh" look on her face, as if she would lie about missing her bus, Dad. But secretly, she's all *Live Fast, Die Hard, Bad Girls, Do It Well* #YOLO. Performance of her career, honestly.
13. Meg Ryan
We would personally rather watch a never-ending loop of Meg Ryan's face appearing over the Burger King logo than watch Sleepless in Seattle.
14. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
How many times have we fantasized about the chance to be at Joseph Gordon Levitt's house with him making us breakfast in the morning? Countless. But we never imagined it could be as adorable and delicious as this 1991 Pop Tarts commercial makes it seem.
15. Tobey Maguire
Yo, Spider-Man is having an uncomfortable amount of fun in the bathroom.
16. Corey Feldman
This adorable McDonalds commercial from 1975 may have been heartwarming back then, but 40 years later, it just reminds us how much The Goonies star hasn't aged since he was 4.
17. Demi Moore
We're not sure if the Ghost star was trying to sell Diet Coke by convincing us we might fall in love, or if she was trying to warn us of the dangers and health problems that could arise from drinking it, but we still like it.
18. Keanu Reeves:
Eating cereal has seriously never looked more fun than it does in this commercial. We would love to eat Kelloggs Corn Flakes with Keanu, Matrix style.
19. Stephen Colbert
This ad seems like a news report, and we can totally see a lot of similarities between this FirsTier Bank commercial and The Colbert Report.
20. Matt LeBlanc
Okay, the best things might come to those who wait, but does the Friends star now have to run back up to the roof, or is he just gonna waste that whole bottle of ketchup just to look cool eating one hot dog? Joey. Doesn't. Waste. Food.
21. Courteney Cox
Fun fact: the Friends star was the first person to ever say "period" (referring to menstruation, not punctuation) on TV. She then broke down more boundaries by starring in terribly-named-but-not-actually-terrible TV shows, like Cougar Town.
22. Elisabeth Moss
Are we the only ones watching this commercial as if we're watching Pegy pitch an ad campaign on Mad Men? We can't be.
23. Sarah Michelle Gellar
This 4-year-old Sarah Michelle Gellar just slayed Burger King's competition faster than you could say "Buffy." Un-be-liev-able!
24. Bryan Cranston
Fans were amazed with how Bryan Cranston transformed from the lovable Hal on Malcolm in the Middle into the meth kingpin Heisenberg on Breaking Bad, but the truly incredible transformation of his career happened way earlier. The way he instantly goes from being a skunk to a human is absolutely astonishing.
25. Aaron Paul
This commercial seems like it could actually just be Breaking Bad's Jesse Pinkman waiting to eat his breakfast before heading off to Chemistry with Mr. White, doesn't it? Aaron Paul's gotta have his Pops, bitch!
26. Megan Mullally and John Goodman
We love Karen Walker enough to be able to recognize that incredible voice anywhere, even if it's some place strange, like a McDonalds commercial. While Karen would certainly never actually sell Egg McMuffins, we're pretty sure that Roseanne star John Goodman totally would.
27. Seth Green
We don't mean to diminish the abilities of our favorite werewolf from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or our favorite dimwitted cartoon son from Family Guy, but this is definitely Seth Green's brightest moment. That hair, the accent. He totally nails the 90s goon role with lines like, "Consequently, we can hit on 'em," and "Definitely - NOT!"
28. Tony Hale
Tony Hale won our hearts playing Buster on Arrested Development (and an Emmy playing Gary on Veep), and this commercial proves that he's made a career out of his hilarious concern regarding women's toiletries. We wonder if Gary's Leviathan on Veep has Herbal Essences.
29. Charlie Day
This quirky commercial for Cascade dishwasher detergent looks like Charlie Day just stepped out of an episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Graduating and heading straight into retirement also seems like a total Charlie Kelly scheme, doesn't it?
30. Jane Lynch
Okay, the only thing we love more than Frosted Flakes and Tony the Tiger is this commercial with Glee star Jane Lynch camping out everyday trying to sneak a peak at the elusive mascot himself.

British actress Mercy Haystead has died, aged 84. Haystead passed away on 11 January (15), but the cause of her death was not made public as WENN went to press.
The actress is most famous for her debut feature film role in 1950 comedy What the Butler Saw and for 1957 film The Admirable Crichton.
During her brief acting career, Haystead starred in other movies including Sing Along With Me, Dentist on the Job, Death Trap, and Girls At Sea, and enjoyed plus guest roles on TV series including The Count of Monte Cristo, International Detective, and Echo Four Two.
Haystead also starred in West End musicals She Smiled At Me, Out of this World and the farce Boeing Boeing, which was one of her last roles in 1965.
She ended her acting career when she married publisher Tony Samuel in 1966.

Hollywood veterans Steven Spielberg, Kevin Spacey, and Julianne Moore have paid tribute to The Graduate director Mike Nichols following his death on Wednesday (19Nov14). Nichols, the husband of news anchor Diane Sawyer, passed away following a cardiac arrest. He was aged 83.
His director pal Spielberg has now paid a moving tribute, telling The Hollywood Reporter, "Mike was a friend, a muse, a mentor, one of America's all time greatest film and stage directors, and one of the most generous people I have ever known. For me, The Graduate was life altering... Mike had a brilliant cinematic eye and uncanny hearing for keeping scenes ironic and real. Actors never gave him less than their personal best - and then Mike would get from them even more. And in a room full of people, Mike was always the centre of gravity. This is a seismic loss."
More tributes poured in on social media from a number of stars including Kevin Spacey, who writes, "Mike Nichols gave me my start. A mentor, friend, colleague. One of the best observers of life. My thoughts are with Diane & his children."
Julianne Moore writes, "So very sad to hear of Mike Nichols death. A great talent, a wonderful, bright, charming human being," and Mia Farrow adds, "Funniest, smartest, most generous, wisest, kindest of all. Mike Nichols, a truly good man."
Zachary Quinto writes, "We've lost a tremendous artist. An arbiter of exquisite taste. A kind and generous man. A mind beyond compare. A heart full of unmitigated joy for life and art. You will be deeply missed sir. Rest in peace", and Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell adds, "Mike Nichols, your great work endures you. Thank you for all of it. Rest in peace."
Alec Baldwin offers, "There's one less truly brilliant director in the world today...." and John Leguizamo adds, "R.I.P what a genius... He will b (sic) missed!"
Bob Balaban, Entourage actor Jeremy Piven, director Edgar Wright and Scandal stars Tony Goldwyn and Joshua Malina also penned messages to Nichols.

Julianne Moore honoured Samuel L. Jackson's wife Latanya Richardson Jackson by reading out a special note of praise from America's First Lady Michelle Obama at a cast party this week (beg26May14). Jackson has been nominated for a 2014 Tony Award for her performance in a Broadway revival of A Raisin in the Sun, and the cast celebrated the achievement ahead of the prizegiving next month (Jun14) by hosting a bash in New York City on Tuesday night (27May14).
Actress Moore was among the revellers at the party, held at Lady Mendl's Tea Salon in Manhattan, and she read out a tribute to the guest of honour from the First Lady, who made a special trip to see the show last month (Apr14), along with her husband, U.S. President Barack Obama.
According to New York Post gossip column Page Six, the note read, "I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to see its (the play's) revival. Barack and I both agree your portrayal of (character) Mama stole the show."

A sports car driven by Sir Roger Moore in hit 1970s TV show The Persuaders! has sold for more than $850,000 (£531,000) at auction. The yellow Aston Martin DBS, used by the 007 actor in almost every episode of the crimebusting drama, was autographed across the trunk by Moore and his co-star in the show, Tony Curtis.
It fetched $852,800 (£533,000) at a Bonhams auction in England over the weekend (17-18May14).

20th Century Fox via Everett Collection
There are certain songs that transport you back to movie scenes as soon as you hear them. Sometimes that makes you feel warm inside, sometimes it inspires you, and other times it gives you the willies. We're taking a look at the songs that we can't help but associate with the big screen, toucing on the greatest inspirational songs in films and the creepiest uses of pop songs in movies. Here, though, we take a look at the songs in movie scenes that touched our romantic hearts.
"Unchained Melody" in Ghost
"Oh, my love... My darling… I've hungered for your touch..." The song was a hit for The Righteous Brothers long before the movie was made, but ever since that opening line and Bobby Hatfield's falsetto can only mean one thing… Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and a pottery wheel.
"Must've Been Love" in Pretty Woman
Roxette's hit from the Julia Roberts film still calls to mind a tangle of red curls looking hopefully out of the back window of a limousine and a sadly dapper Richard Gere looking forlornly from his balcony.
"You Make My Dreams" in (500) Days of Summer
It wasn't the first time that Hall &amp; Oates song was used in a movie, but just try playing it now without thinking about Joseph Gordon-Levitt happily dancing down the street after his hook-up with Zooey Deschanel.
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" in The Lion King
Yes, it's a Disney movie, but it's also Elton John. The song is so linked to the image of lions falling in love that Sir Elton frequently plays the animated clip on screen when he sings it in concert.
"Falling Slowly" in Once
Even if it hadn't subsequently become the centerpiece of the Tony-winning Broadway musical version, the duet by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová in John Carney's movie would still be just as sweet.
"Iris" in City of Angels
The movie about Nicolas Cage's angel who falls in love with Meg Ryan's mortal would probably have faded from memory entirely if not for John Rzeznik's plaintive voice on The Goo Goo Dolls hit.
"When You Say Nothing at All" in Notting Hill
Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts climb over a fence to wander in an English garden. As they share a moment, Ronan Keating's version of the country song plays and suddenly they're the only two people in the world.
"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" in Dirty Dancing
When Jennifer Warren sang with Joe Cocker for An Officer and a Gentleman, only the instrumental version of their "Up Where We Belong" played over the climactic scene (similar to Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic). In Dirty Dancing, however, Warren's duet with Bill Medley is front and center as Swayze pulls Jennifer Grey's Baby out of the corner.
"I Will Always Love You" in The Bodyguard
Regardless of what you think of her acting, Whitney Houston could sing. We're not sure that we would stop a plane to go kiss Kevin Costner, but we'll watch it all day if we can hear the song and Houston's amazing voice again.
"In Your Eyes" in Say Anything…
According to both parties, John Cusack lobbied director Cameron Crowe to have a Fishbone song playing as his lovesick Lloyd Dobler held his boombox aloft to get Ione Skye's attention. Thankfully, Crowe opted to keep the Peter Gabriel classic.
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CBS Broadcasting
Not every show can go out on a good note. Sure, some shows like Breaking Bad come up with a conclusion that feels right and true to most fans. But usually, when a show has been on the air for a while, finding a tidy way to wrap things up can be a chore.
Even if it's been planned out since the beginning, as was the case with the series finale of How I Met Your Mother, it's hard to make people who have invested time in the characters feel like they've said goodbye in a satisfying way. While the fury swells over the HIMYM's controversial ending, it's helpful to distract ourselves with other epic finale fails Ted and his stupid blue French horn are up against.
The Sopranos
It's like the start of a joke… Tony Soprano walks into a diner.
That's how David Chase sets up the finale of his landmark HBO series. The Mafia boss made famous by the late James Gandolfini rifles through a jukebox at his table and picks out Journey's "Don’t Stop Believing." His wife Carmela (Edie Falco) joins him, soon followed by his son A.J. (Robert Iler). The diner is full. A guy in a hat sits at a nearby booth and may have eyed Tony when he was alone. Another guy in a Members Only jacket enters right before A.J. and seems kind of twitchy. Another pair of guys lingers near the counter. Tony's daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) is late because she can't parallel park. The jacket guy walks past the Soprano's table and goes into the bathroom. Meadow, finally out of the car, walks towards the door of the diner. She reaches out to open it, the bell rings above the door and… nothing. Cut to a black screen.
Millions of Americans reached for their remote, sure that their TV sets had just completely screwed them over and were poised to call their cable company... when suddenly the credits started to roll. The shock that the series ended with a cut to black set fans howling and looking for answers. Did we go black because a bullet just went through Tony's head? Did the bell mean something? Were the potential threats in the diner just a part of Tony's normal paranoia? What the heck does any of it mean? Chase has steadfastly refused to provide much in the way of explanation, leaving a large section of the fan base furious over the ambiguity.
Seinfeld
The show about nothing decided to make the end about something. That's a problem. With Larry David back to write the final episode of the show that he created with his friend Jerry Seinfeld, the group is about to have some good fortune. The show-within-a-show created by Jerry and George (Jason Alexander) finds new life and the duo, along with Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Kramer (Michael Richards), are jetting off to Paris to celebrate in a private jet courtesy of NBC. But, some mechanical issues ground them and while they wait, they stand around making jokey comments about a car-jacking that they're witnessing. Next thing you know, we're in a court room with every ancillary character in the history of the show, each with his or her own story of how horrible Jerry and his friends are. The foursome is led to a single jail cell after being convicted under a Good Samaritan law and, essentially, starts having a conversation the same as they would at Monk's or Jerry's apartment.
As the credits role, Jerry, dressed in prison orange, performs a stand-up routine for the other inmates. The finale was bloated, lazy, and worst of all, not funny… with jokes falling flat left and right. Apparently most of the humor was supposed to come from the audience seeing the Soup Nazi or Newman one last time. For a show that had delivered consistent laughs throughout its entire run, not remaining true to the style of humor that had made it a cultural phenomenon was the ultimate sin.
St. Elsewhere
The critically acclaimed '80s medical drama had a very loyal fan base that kept it on the air. It's hard to remember but the Boston-based show was the career launching pad for a number of actors, Denzel Washington and Mark Harmon chief amongst them, and was a major influence on later hospital series like ER and Grey's Anatomy. In the finale, a bearded Howie Mandel leaves after finishing his residency and David Morse's soulful Dr. Morrison collects his young son to depart as well. As the show's moral center Dr. Westphal (Ed Flanders) returns to his office, his autistic son (Chad Allen) stares out the window at the falling snow.
Cut to: Westphal now dressed as a construction worker entering an apartment where his son is on the floor staring at a snow globe. What's inside the globe? A replica of St. Eligius Hospital, or St. Elsewhere, as it's more commonly called. So, the whole show was just something that played out in the mind of an autistic boy? Is that it? Really? The whole "it was all fake" ending worked exactly once with the brilliant final reveal on Newhart, but that's it.
Dexter
The closet serial killer played by Michael C. Hall is getting out of the game. With his girlfriend Hannah (Yvonne Strahovski) and son Harrison (Evan and Luke Kruntchev) in tow, he's going to skip out to Argentina and lead a more peaceful life... then a criminal shoots Dex's sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter). Even though she seems fine, she suddenly lapses into a coma after a massive stroke. Dexter kind of matter-of-factly kills Saxon while he's in police custody, sends Hannah and Harrison off to Buenos Aires, and then takes Deb off life support. He steals her body and dumps it into the sea, before faking his own death. Except when we see Hannah and Harrison way down south, Dexter isn't with them and Hannah is reading a news story about his presumed watery demise.
We hear Dexter in a voice-over explaining how hard it is to be him. So, where is he? Well, why don't we let every fan of the Showtime hit take over from here: "A lumberjack?! He's a f**king lumberjack?! What do you mean he's a f**king lumberjack?!" Before that final scream-inducing reveal — seriously, how many TV sets were broken when remotes went sailing into them immediately after the shot of bearded Dexter? — the episode was pretty lifeless, moving from point A to B to C in a paint-by-numbers kind of way.
Roseanne
Just like with Seinfeld, the ending to Roseanne Barr's long-running sitcom felt like a cheat. Really it was a case where the show probably should've ended a couple of seasons before it actually did. The final season was an unmitigated disaster as the Connors won the lottery and the entire premise of the show changed, becoming a distorted rumination on the meaning of life. In the final episode, we see the cast of the show gathered around the kitchen table eating, laughing, and joking. Then a voice-over from Rosanne tells us that what we've been watching was a figment of her imagination. She's changed things from real life as she's written, including having Dan survive the heart attack that actually killed him two years prior. Worse, she calls into question what parts of the show going back before the heart attack were real (what do you mean David is really Becky's boyfriend?). Considering that the show became a ratings juggernaut with its funny portrayal of the real issues that face lower-middle class Americans, being told that it was just the main character's alternate reality was a slap in the face. And, while it's fine for a finale to be packed with emotion — plenty of fans cried at the end of M*A*S*H and The Mary Tyler Moore Show — the final shot of Roseanne sitting alone on her couch was unnecessarily depressing.
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DreamWorks
For the bulk of every Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, moose and squirrel would engage in high concept escapades that satirized geopolitics, contemporary cinema, and the very fabrics of the human condition. With all of that to work with, there's no excuse for why the pair and their Soviet nemeses haven't gotten a decent movie adaptation. But the ingenious Mr. Peabody and his faithful boy Sherman are another story, intercut between Rocky and Bullwinkle segments to teach kids brief history lessons and toss in a nearly lethal dose of puns. Their stories and relationship were much simpler, which means that bringing their shtick to the big screen would entail a lot more invention — always risky when you're dealing with precious material.
For the most part, Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman handles the regeneration of its heroes aptly, allowing for emotionally substance in their unique father-son relationship and all the difficulties inherent therein. The story is no subtle metaphor for the difficulties surrounding gay adoption, with society decreeing that a dog, no matter how hyper-intelligent, cannot be a suitable father. The central plot has Peabody hosting a party for a disapproving child services agent and the parents of a young girl with whom 7-year-old Sherman had a schoolyard spat, all in order to prove himself a suitable dad. Of course, the WABAC comes into play when the tots take it for a spin, forcing Peabody to rush to their rescue.
Getting down to personals, we also see the left brain-heavy Peabody struggle with being father Sherman deserves. The bulk of the emotional marks are hit as we learn just how much Peabody cares for Sherman, and just how hard it has been to accept that his only family is growing up and changing.
DreamWorks
But more successful than the new is the film's handling of the old — the material that Peabody and Sherman purists will adore. They travel back in time via the WABAC Machine to Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the Trojan War, and 18th Century France, explaining the cultural backdrop and historical significance of the settings and characters they happen upon, all with that irreverent (but no longer racist) flare that the old cartoons enjoyed. And oh... the puns.
Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman is a f**king treasure trove of some of the most amazingly bad puns in recent cinema. This effort alone will leave you in awe.
The film does unravel in its final act, bringing the science-fiction of time travel a little too close to the forefront and dropping the ball on a good deal of its emotional groundwork. What seemed to be substantial building blocks do not pay off in the way we might, as scholars of animated family cinema, have anticipated, leaving the movie with an unfinished feeling.
But all in all, it's a bright, compassionate, reasonably educational, and occasionally funny if not altogether worthy tribute to an old favorite. And since we don't have our own WABAC machine to return to a time of regularly scheduled Peabody and Sherman cartoons, this will do okay for now.
If nothing else, it's worth your time for the puns.
3/5
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George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Julianne Moore have added their tributes to the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman as Hollywood continues to come to terms with the actor's shocking death. The Oscar winner was found dead from an apparent drug overdose in his New York City apartment on Sunday (02Feb14), and friends and former co-workers like Mia Farrow, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin and Evan Rachel Wood were among the first celebrities to express their condolences via Twitter.com.
Now Clooney admits the death of his The Ides of March co-star has left him speechless, stating, "There are no words... it's just terrible", while Hanks says of his Charlie Wilson's War colleague, "This is a horrible day for those who worked with Philip. He was a giant talent."
Actress Moore has also added her voice to the outpouring of Hollywood tributes after co-starring with Hoffman in Boogie Nights, Magnolia and The Big Lebowski. They had also completed work on the upcoming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 and had been in the middle of filming Mockingjay - Part 2 at the time of his passing.
She says, "I feel so fortunate to have known and worked with the extraordinary Philip Seymour Hoffman, and am deeply saddened by his passing."
Another Boogie Nights castmate, Mark Wahlberg, adds, "Saddened by the passing of friend and colleague Philip Seymour Hoffman...such a tragic loss. Miss you, Scotty J. RIP."
And Gwyneth Paltrow, who teamed up with Hoffman for 1999 thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley, also commented on the tragedy by sharing an old photo of the pair with fellow co-star Jude Law during their stay in Italy for the movie shoot.
In the accompanying caption, she wrote, "Ischia 1998, post dinner, post shooting... Philip was a true genius."
Broadway theatre bosses will dim their marquee lights on Wednesday night (05Feb14) in memory of the triple Tony Award nominee.
The Master star won high praise and a Tony nod for each of his three outings on the Great White Way - his debut in True West in 2000, his follow-up performance in Long Day's Journey into Night in 2003, and his turn in a 2012 production of Death of a Salesman.
Charlotte St. Martin of the Broadway League says, "Philip Seymour Hoffman, a three-time Tony Award nominee, was a true artist who loved the theatre. His prolific body of work encompassed various mediums including theatre, film and television, and we'll always be grateful for his boundless and profound talent that he shared with us on the Broadway stage. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and fans."

Ho! Ho! Ho! Truly, the holidays really aren’t the holidays until the fat man comes bearing gifts. No! No! No! Not your Uncle Tony – although that’s kind of fun, too. We, of course, are talking about Santa Claus! Yes, old Kris Kringle is virtually omnipresent this time of year – from the supermarket to the toy store to both the big and small screens. Of all the filmed depictions, however, which ones rank at the top of the chimney? The best of the best. The ones that, even for that brief moment in our cynical, modern-day world, can make you stop and think, ‘You know, Virginia, maybe – just maybe – there really is a Santa Claus?!’ From throughout the years, we present our Top Five Santas on TV and Film.
New Line Cinema via Everett Collection
Edmund Gwenn, Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Doubted by a young Natalie Wood (and eventually upheld in court), Gwenn’s Saint Nick is as good today as it ever was. Understated and convincing in the performance.
Art Carney, Twilight Zone episode ‘Night of the Meek’ (1960)
Downtrodden and desperate, Carney’s turn as Santa is pure Rod Serling magic, as we see his transformation from drunken in-store Kringle to ... the real thing?
Stan Francis, ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ (1964)
This stop-motion animation version from Rankin-Bass remains must-see TV nearly 50 years after its original airing. Francis’ voice turn as the Jolly Old Elf plays a big part in that.
David Huddleston, 'Santa Claus: The Movie' (1985)
Sure, the movie itself is bad, but Huddleston is great. Now, if he only could have made Lithgow to turn it down (and Moore to turn it up) we could have really had something.
Ed Asner, ‘Elf’ (2003)
The most-modern on our list, Asner proves himself no slouch as the man behind the reins, even with Ferrell chewing the scenery as loveable Buddy.
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